Tonight
by Kitty Katana
Summary: [Songfic] [KenKao] In the quiet moments between dusk and night, Kenshin reflects on his relationship with Kaoru.


_There's a calm surrender to the rush of day _

The river languidly rolled along, at peace with itself in the early twilight, when the fish were calm and the children who would splash in its depths had gone to sleep. In this twilight, two figures found themselves together, with only that sleepy river to accompany them. It was no awkward silence; they found themselves in it often, only sitting and listening to sounds that weren't there. Tonight, the customary shopping trip had climaxed as this, a cool moment when the sun still lent its golden tones to the sky, but dusky blue closed in on it, drowning it away in a sea of blackness.

_When the heat of a rolling wind can be turned away_

"Look" His almost inaudible voice accompanied a dirt-dusted hand as he pointed skyward. Sure enough, there it was- the first star, as he had promised, twinkling hopelessly as it was lost in the deep blue of the velvety night. She couldn't help but pity it, alone, without a companion. How could anyone or anything survive all alone? Within the hollow depths of her mind she gave into a juvenile tradition and made a wish.

_An enchanted moment, and it sees me through_

Then there was a second light next to it, winking merrily next to the first. She smiled, watching them in silence still. She would not speak to break the delicate moment. She watched the man next to her, cross-legged and wonder eyed, looking up at the dim sky. He looked from the stars to her steady gaze, never losing that awe in his oddly colored eyes. She looked away from him to the babbling water, whispering to her.__

_It's enough for this restless warrior just to be with you_

She amazed him with every word when she spoke, never afraid to say what she thought and mean what she said. A small smile pulled at his lips. That always seemed to get her into trouble. But it kept that instinct to protect her sharp. And her disquietude made him stay next to her, because even if he ever left, that fire within her would drive her to follow him. And perhaps that would be exactly what he wanted…

_And can you feel the love tonight It is where we are_   
_It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer   
__That we got this far_

Was it love? But then what was love? Who could put a definition to the highest of highs and the lowest of lows? His love for the wife he once held was so different from the emotion he felt when this girl looked at him… So what was it? It was more than a passing whim. But did he… love her? Love was almost unattainable to him sometimes, seeming to dance between his calloused fingers, never quite allowing him to delve into its depths. So how could he know love? This girl had never known love in the first place. So they both wondered about a glorious paradise that they would never know if they had reached. In any case, she made him feel complete again. She forced him to stay alive. This frail girl at his side could give him the strength of a thousand men. She seemed to have that adrenaline-inducing effect on him, even when she simply sat next to him like this.

_And can you feel the love tonight  
How it's laid to rest  
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds  
Believe the very best _

Life had dealt him some of the worst hands… to feel the pain of his own humanity drag him down from immortality, to know loss greater than any other… he had felt his own heart torn, not by blade, by loneliness and fear, by guilt. Yet now they were only a dull ache in his bones, numbed from the burning that had once engulfed him. And it was all of them that had helped- Sano and Yahiko, Megumi and every other who had taught him the good in humanity. But most of she had.

_There's a time for everyone if they only learn_

"Kenshin?" Her voice seemed to come from somewhere far beyond him, intangible, unattainable, and she might as well have been. He could never hold her the way she needed to be held, and the longing in her eyes was something he could never fill. He could only remain here with her like this, tearing himself apart internally.

_That the twisting kaleidoscope moves us all in turn_

"Hmm?" He looked down into the wisely sophomoric eyes that stared up at him. She didn't answer again, she didn't need to. The look in his forlorn eyes spoke more fluently than their clumsy human language ever could. In the moment he knew that she had been thinking of him as well. There was a calm in her eyes that overtook him and made him forget everything else.

_There's a rhyme and reason to the wild outdoors_

With a reluctant sigh, he broke the gaze again, fearing that those unspoken words would be revealed and everything would change in a moment. No, they were not to grow any closer than this. He couldn't bring himself to taint perfection. There was no greater crime in his eyes. And yet a piece of him wanted to take the gamble, throw caution to the wind and decide at the very moment what she wanted of him, and he would do as she wished.

_When the heart of this star-crossed voyager beats in time with yours_

A daring hand crept around her, letting primordial instinct do its worst as long as she didn't stop him. No move was made against the rebellious hand. No, far from. She let her head fall against him, the gentle weight comforting him as he hummed softly. It was a song from a long time ago, one whose origin would not divulge itself to him. He listened to the return, a sound more beautiful than what escaped his quivering lips. The sound of her breathing intertwined, enhancing his melody with one of her own.

_And can you feel the love tonight It is where we are_   
_It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer   
__That we got this far_

They simply fit together, like pieces of a puzzle. The water flowed past, the moonlight cast odd glows on their faces. Lost in their own thoughts, neither noticed anything else. All was a silent world, devoid of anything but their song. A calloused hand ran through her silky black hair, losing its will and halting. Trapped together, neither could—nor wished to—move. Something made leaving this moment more difficult than any battle he had ever faced. Yet the sky was dark and she was exhausted, struggling to stay awake in the cold night.

_And can you feel the love tonight  
How it's laid to rest  
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds  
Believe the very best _

So gently he lifted her over his back and began the trek home. Her head rested against his shoulder, bumping when the road became too rough, but he carried her lightly and smoothly. His song never slowed, never hesitated in its steady rhythm until he reached her room. With a smile he watched her drift between sleep bereft of any marring and the troubled world of waking. A hand lingered on her pale cheek, then withdrew as his senses returned to him. Something stirred within him looking upon that innocent form. All hesitation suddenly ceased to be, fading into this deep, warm feeling. His body found its own will as he leant into her and felt his dry lips touch her pale cheek. She smiled in her semi-consciousness, squirming comfortably. He found that same smile painting his own face for the moment. A moan escaped her in the heavy air.

"Ken…shin…"

His rough name on her soft tongue was something he could barely hold within his chest. A gate burst within him and he knew…

_It's enough to make kings and vagabonds believe the very best_

…It was love.

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For Drew… that you'll feel the love wherever your journey may take you. And know that anywhere you go, you have a piece of me with you.

Authoress' notes: Phew. All done. Well, this was a fun little one shot for me. I wanted to do something with lots and lots of pointless fluff, so here it is. I love writing random, insane fluff between Kenshin and Kaoru because it isn't actually given a lot of time in the anime. Go fluff! In case you were wondering at all, this was a challenge to myself to use as little dialogue as possible to convey the emotion, and to make it as realistic as possible. In reality, I believe that silence has more power than a thousand words. So, here it is. :) Thanks, all.

Note that all lyrics are subject to copyright. I claim no ownership of the lyrics of 'Can You Feel the Love tonight,' The Lion King, or any associated material. They are property of Disney and all other associates.  
Thanks to Tim Rice (for writing this song!), Elton John (for singing it, even though that doesn't have anything to do with the lyrics), Disney and Rurouni Kenshin's lawyers (for not suing me. Go not suing!)


End file.
